Pivoted wringer structure for washing machines



R. J. ANDERSON.

PIVOTED WRINGER STRUCTURE FOR WASHING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILEDAUG-22,1917.

1,417,656. v ten ed May 30,1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEE'T 1.

R.J.A NDERSON. PIVOTED WRINGER STRUCTURE FOR WASHING MACHINES.APPLICATION FILED AUG 22 1 917. I 1,417,656, I r Patented May 30,1922.

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R. J. ANDERSON.

PIVOTED WHINGER STRUCTURE FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED Aue 22.1917.-

Patented May 30, 1922.

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T LLJ a3 8.1 ANDERSON. v PIVOTED WRINGER STRUCTURE FOR WASHINGMACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-22,1917.

Patented May 30, 1922.

. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

in a e @5014 UNITED STTES ROBERT J. ANDERSON, OF SIDNEY, OHIO.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ma 30, 1922'.

Application filed August 22, 1917. Serial No. 187,598.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Romain J. ANnnRsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sidney, in the county of Shelby and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements Structures for W'ashingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of my invention to provide awashing machine comprisinga plurality of tubs arranged in side by side relation, to provide nove]wringer mechanism "for tubs so arranged comprising a standard'locatedbetween said tubs and a bracket arranged to support the wringer sopivoted as to locate the wringer in position to coact with either ofsaid tubs; further, to provide novel means for rotating thewringer-rollers so that the wringer may be placed in coactive relationwith either of said tubs which is stationarily positioned and thewringerrollers rotated selectively in either direction; further, toprovide novel means whereby the wringer-rollers are rotated selectivelyin either direction; further, to provide novel means whereby the wringeris positioned selectively and for maintaining the wringer in suchrelation.

The invention will be further readily un-, derstood from the followingdescription and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter: a

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of my improved device.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3,and partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of my improved device. 3

Fig. 41 is a rear elevation of the same. Y

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the tub and its supporting means, thelatter partly broken away, and showing the tub in assumed rockedpositions in dotted lines.

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the same, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5

r Fig. 7 is a plan sectional detail of the shiftingmea'ns for thetub-operatii ig clutches. on the line 77 of Fig. 2.

Fig. Sis a cross-section of the driving means, taken on the irregularline 8-8 of Fig. 2. c

9 is a vertical section of the same, taken in the plane of the line9-9'ot' Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a sectional detail of the'same, taken on' the line 1010 ofFig. 8.

in Pivoted Wringer my invention, shown the tubs as of substantiallyelliptical form and as provided'with balance springs arranged about thepivotal axis of the tub, ai'idhave shown the tub'pivoted at a pointslightly belowthe center of the tub or center of the substantial ellipseon which the tub is formed, the pivotal axis of the tub being within thebalance springs, but I do not herein claim the tub structure,

plane of the line 1313-ot' having shown described and claimed saidstructure in my co ending application, filed Aug. 16, 1917fas erial hlo. 186,622, nor do I herein claim the manner of mounting the tub, or ofthe means for resiliently balane ing the tub, or of pivoting the tub,having shown, described and claimed the same in my copending applicationfiled Aug." 16, 1917, as Serial No. 186,623.

In the present exemplification of my invention I have instaneed twowashing tubs I and a wringer arranged to be swung in position for usewith either tub, it being understood that'the wringing of the clothesmay be accomplished from or into either tub into or from a suitable tubor basket at the outside the tubs of the machine, or the wringer may beswung into intermediate'position for wringing the laundry tromone tubinto the otherof the mechanism exemplified.

The tubs are shown at 21,22, respectively, andare instancedasoscillating tubs, being mounted upon trunnions 23, fixedly extendingfrom spiders 24 secured to theheads 25 of the tubs, and jo'urnaled insuitablebearings 26, 27. (See Figs. 3, 4 and 6). 'The bearings are onasupp'orti'ng frame 28, comprising end frame-pieces 29, 30, and anintermediate frame-piece 31. The end framepieces comprise upwardlyinwardly sloping sides 32, sloping toward each other, a'ndconnected byatop 33, to which the bearing 26 is secured; The intermediate 'frame'p'iec'e comprises similarly sloping sides 34 connected by a top 35 towhich a bearing-block 36 is secured, forming part of bearing 27 The endframe-pieces and intermediate fra1ne-piece are spaced apart and suitablyconnected as by means of brace-rods 41, 42, exemplified as bolted tosaid end framepieces and intermediate frame-piece, form ingtub-receiving spaces between said framepieces and brace-rods.

A gear-housing 46 is secured to the intermediate frame-piece, byproviding the same with lugs 47, through which bolts 48 pass into theframe-piece. The gear-houslng acts as an oil-container for containing abody of on their shafts between shoulders 60 on the respective shaftsand one of the bearings I thereof.

Arms 61, 62, are secured at opposite ends of said respective shafts andform crankarms respectively provided with crank-pins 63, 64.Connecting-rods 65, 66, respectively have bearings 67, 68 about saidcrank-pins,

the other ends of said connecting-rods being provided with bearings 71,72, received about stud-pins 73, 74, secured to the spiders 24. (SeeFigs. 2, 3, 4 and 8).

A clutch 81 is located between each of the respective gears 54, 55, andits shaft to which thecrank-arm is fixed, for placing either tub or bothtubs in operative connection with its driving mechanism. (See Figs. 8and 9). This clutch is instanced as comprising a collar 82, havingspline-connection 83 with its shaft, for causing rotation of the shaftwith the clutch and permitting axial movement of the collar, so as toengage the teeth of the clutch on the collar with the teeth of theclutch on the gear.

These teeth 84 are preferably fiat-sided teeth, soas to move the shaftin either direction of movement of the gear, and the teeth are soaranged, as by providing two irregularteeth and corresponding recesses85, that the'gear and crank-arm are connected only in one relation, soas to insure the proper timed oscillation of the tub or tubs. (See Fig.10), This timed oscillation is preferably such that when both tubs arein motion they will oscillate together, the fronts of the tubsdescendingtogether and rising together, avoiding confusion of and consequentinjury to the operator. The clutch is preferably received in a hood 86extending from the gear-housing.

The clutch'is operated by means of a lever 87 pivoted by a pin 88 inlugs 89 of the cover 90 of the gear-housing and having a fork-end 91,the tines of which are received in an annular groove 92 of the collar82. The cover 90 is secured to the housing by screws 93. v

The crank-arms and clutches for the respective gears 54, 55, arerespectively at opposite sides of said gears, locating a crankarm forone gear and a clutch for the other gear at one side of said gears, insubstantially the same vertical plane perpendicular to the axes ofrotation of said gears, the remaining crank-arm and clutch beingsimilarly placed at the other side of said gears, thus providing compactarrangement of the parts between. the tubs.

The respective levers 87 are operated from the front of the machine bymeans of handles 96, 97. (See Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9). The handle 96has a rod 98 extending therefrom, which rocks in bearings 99 on theintermediate frame-piece, and has an arm 100 extending therefrom. A link101 is articulated with the arm at 102 and with the clutch-lever 87 forthe gear 54 at 103 for operating the latter.

The handle 97 has a rod 105 extending therefrom, arranged to rock inbearings 106 on the intermediate frame-piece, The rod 105 has an arm 107extending therefrom, a link 108 being articulated with the arm at 109and with the clutch-lever for gear 55 at 110. The handles are arrangedto selectively operate either or both clutches for selectively causingoperation of either or of both tubs. The clutches are so arranged thatthey can be connected only in. one relation to cause both tubs to movein unison, when both clutches are in operative connection, the forwardends of the tubs moving up or down together. I

A column 11.1 extends upwardly with relation to the housing 46. It issecured to the main frame. by means of lugs 112 thereon which are boltedto the upright 113 of the intermediate frame-piece.

Brace-rods 11.4, 115, extend between the column and the endframe-pieces, being bent rearwardly, to avoid contact with the tubs. Therespective ends of the brace-rods are seczured to the column and frameby bolts 11 The column. has a bearing 120 at its lower end for anupright shaft 121. (See Fig. 11). The upper end of the column isprovided with. a bushing 122, forming a trunnion, a shoulder 123 beinglocated proximate to the lower end of said trunnion. A wringer-arm 126is journaled by a bearingslee-ve 127 about the bushing and has a beaning 128 therein for the upright shaft- The upright shaft has abevel-gear 129, fixed to its upper end. The bevel-gear supports theupright shaft in its bearings.-

A shaft 131 is journaled in bearings 132 in the housing and has thereona gear 133 and a bevel-gear the gears Li -53, 1.34, rotating together.Gear 133 meshes with gear 54,

The upright shaft has a. bevel-gear 135 fast at its lower end, meshingwith the bevelgear 134. The upper end of the hub of bevel-gear 135 isarranged to contact the lower end of the hearing 120 for maintainingmeshing relation between the bevel-gears 134 and 135.

The wringer-arm is provided with a bracket 136 which may be providedwith suitable means for the attachment of a suitable wringer,exemplified at 137. The wringer is instanced as having a pair ofrollers'188, 139, the roller 138 being the operated roller, instanced ashaving connection with the driving mechanism of the machine by means ofa cross-shaft 140, instanced as the shaft to which the lower roller issuitably secured, so as to be rotated thereby.

A yoke 141 is located above the bearing 128 of the wringer-arm, and hasbearings 142 therein for the cross-shaft 140. (See Figs. 11 and 12.)Bevel-gears 143, 144, received about the cross-shaft, are normally loosethereon,

and mesh with opposite sides of the bevel gear 129. -Clutches 145, 146are arranged to connect the cross-shaft and the respective bevel-gears143, 144. The teeth of the respective clutches at opposite ends of acollar 147 are arranged to coact with coacting teeth on said respectivebevel-gears. The collar 14. has spline-connection 148 with saidcross-shaft. In practice said bevel-gears 143, 144, are continuallyrotating during operation of the machine, The respective clutchescommunicate. motion to said crossshaft and rotate said cross-shaft inopposite directions, whereby rotation of the wringer-rollers is eilectedin opposite directions 'lor causing movement of the laundry therethroughfrom either tub into the other or into or from either tub from or intoa. suitable receptacle, such as an auxiliary tub or l'iasket, from orinto which the clothes are passed from the wringer. I

The clutches are preferably toothedclutches and the teeth preferablyhave flat sides, so that the cross-shaft will be revolved regardless ofthe direction of rotatlon oi the bevel-gear 129, it being understoodthat the drive-shaft may be rotated in either direction for operatingthe tubs and wringerrollers.

The clutch-collar 147 is arranged to be op era-ted by means of a lever149 having a fork 150, the tines of which are in an annular groove 151in said clutch-collar. (See lhgs. 11 and 12.) The lever 149 is pivotedon a bolt 152 in a gear-cover153 having an upright plate 154 extendingtherefrom. V A spring 155 urges the upper endof the lever toward theplate. The lever is provided with a positioning knob 156 coacting withpositioning recesses 157 in said plate. The lever is i'ulc-rumed on arib 158' on the lever, so that the spring pushes the knob and recessesinto coaction for holdingthe lever in position for maintainingengagement of either clutch or 7 neutral position of the lever, when thelever has been operated for desired position of the clutch. A link 159is articulated with the lever 149 and with an operating handle 160,pivoted to the wringer-frame. (see Figs. 3 and 4.) i p j i Thewringer-arm is arranged to be placed in a position between.the'oscillating tubs or inav position crosswise of either tub andmay,'i1" desired, be swung entirely out of range of the tubs. It isarranged to be clamped in place in any'of its assumed positions by means01 a clamp, instanced as acting between the bearingasleeve 127 and thebushing 122. *(See Figs. 13, and 14.) The clampis shown as a plug 161received in a bore 162 in the wringer-arm and pro-- vided with a concaveface 163, concentric with the axis of rotation of the shaft 121, to form'a' shoe-bearing against the bushing.

The plug is provided with cam-faces 164.

(Jo-acting can'1 fa'ces 165 are-on a collar 166,

turn the collar for moving the cam faces 165 I thereon across thecam-faces 164, the clamping; action being released upon oppositemovement of the clamp-arm. The means described'torms a cheap and simpleclamping device readily assembled for the purpose stated: The adjustmentof the bolt may be such that full clamping force maybe ap-- plied by amovement of the clamp-arm through a comparatively small arc of thecircle., y

'Me'ans are provided for operating the clamp from a position at theouter end of the wringer-bracket, as by providing an endwisemovablerod172, (see Figsgil and 4), articulated at 173 with the arm 167 movableendwise in a bearing 174 on the wringer- The tubs have openings 191closed by suitable covers 192 having suitable handles 193. A drip-board1941 has ends 195, 196, and is located. between the side-posts 197 ofthe wringer and between a cross-piece 198 and the bracket 136, stops 200coacting with the bracket. Deflecting pieces 201 having defleeting faces202 coact with the respective ends of the drip-board to lead the same tothe tub-openings.

By means of the caring mechanism, a compact, simple and effectivearrangement of gearing is provided for operating either one or bothtubs, the operation of the tubs, when both tubs are operated, being inunison. Durable means are provided for positioning the wringer-arm intodesired radial relations and clamping the wringer-arm in assumed radialpositions, and for operating the wringer-rollers in either direction inany of its assumed positions and for controlling the rotation ornon-rotation of the wringerrollers by novel and effective mechanismsuitably placed in convenient position. for the operator distanced fromthe gearing.

The driving means employed are further extremely simple employing fewgears and requiring a substantially minimum amount of power foroperating the same.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mainframe, a column extending upwardly therefrom, said column comprising anupwardly extending journal bushing, a sleeve-bearing about said journalbushing having a central bearing-bore rotating about said journalbushing, the said bearing-bore extending upwardly beyond said journalbushing, the upper end of said sleeve-bearing being reduced incross-section, said reduced portion spaced from the upper end of saidjournal bushing by a section of said bearing-bore, and a laterallyextending wringer-bracket on said sleeve-bearing, the lower end of saidsleeve-bearing and said column at the lower end of said journal bushingrespectively provided with coacting laterally extendingannular flangeshaving mating bearing faces forming a step-bearing between saidsleeve-bearing and said journal bushing, and the upper end of saidjournal bushing being spaced from the upper end of said bearing bore forlocating said upper end of said journal bushing free of endcontact withsaid sleeve-bearing in said bearing-bore, and a friction-clamp betweensaid sleeve-bearing and said journal bushing to frictionally hold saidsleeve-bearing and said journal bushing together.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a column,a wringen supporting bracket swingable thereon, a drive-shaft in saidcolumn about which said bracket swings, a bevel-gear at the upper end ofsaid drive-shaft, a cr0ss-shaft for op,- erating the wringer-rollers,'opposed bevelgears loose thereon meshing with said firstnamedbevel-gear, a clutch between said cross-shaft and said pair ofbevel-gears for operatively connecting either of said last namedbevelears with said cross-shaft for operating said wringer rollersselectively in reverse directions, a clamp for clamping said bracket tosaid column in adjusted positions comprising a shoe on said brackethaving a concave clamping face concentric with said shaft coacting withsaid column, and a lever on said bracket, said shoe and lever providedwith coacting cam-faces having axes at right angles to said shaft,whereby to clamp said shoe t said bracket.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a column,a wringer supporting bracket swingable thereon, a driveshaft in saidcolumn about which said bracket swings, a bevel-gear at the upper end ofsaid drive-shaft, a cross-shaft for operating the wringer-rollers,opposed bevelgears loose thereon meshing with said firstnamedbevel-gear, a clutch between said lastnamed shaft and said pair ofbevel-gears for operatively connecting either of said lastnamedbevel-gears with said cross-shaft for operating said wringer-rollersselectively'in reverse directions, a clamp for clamping said bracket tosaid column in adjusted positions comprising a shoe on said brackethaving a concave clamping face concentric with said shaft coacting withsaid column, a lever on said bracket, said shoe and lever provided withcoacting cam-faces having axes at right angles t said shaft whereby toclamp said shoe to said bracket, a stem connecting said lever, shoe andbracket, and adjusting means therefor whereby to regulate the clampingeffect of said shoe.

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame, acolumn ex tending upwardly therefrom, said column comprising a bushing,a sleeve-bearing about said bushing extending upwardly above saidcolumn, a laterally extending wringerbracket on the latter, the lowerend of said column and the upper end of said sleeve bearing providedwith shaft-bearings, an upright shaft in said shaft-bearings, abevelgear fixed to the upper end of said shaft, continuously rotatingdriving means fixed to the lower end f said shaft, a cross-shaft journaled in said wringer-bracket, a pair of bevel-gears normally loosethereon meshing with said first-named bevel-gear, an axially movableclutch about said cross-shaft be- 25 tween said bevel-gears foroperatively connecting either of said bevel-gears with said cross-shaft,arranged to rotate said crossshaft selectively in reverse directions, anaxially movable bearing-plug between said sleeve-bearing and saidbushing provided with an;arc-face coacting with said bushing, saidarc-face being concentric to the axis of rotation of said shaft, and cammeans for clamping said plug to said bushing.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mainframe, a column extending upwardly therefrom, said column comprising anupwardly extending journal bushing, a sleeve-bearing about said bushinghaving a central bearing-bore; the said bearing-bore extending upwardlybeyond said journal bushing, a laterally extending wringer-bracket onsaid sleeve-bearing the lower end of said sleeve-bearing and said columnat the lower end of said journal bushing respectively provided withcoacting laterally extending annular flanges having mating bearing facesforming a stepbearing between said sleeve-bearing and said journalbushing, the upper end of said journal bushing being free of end-contactwith said sleeve-bearing in said bearing-bore, a bearing-plug betweensaid sleeve-bearing and said journal bushing, said bearing-plug providedwith an arc-face concentric with said j ournal'bushing and coacting withsaid journal bushing and cam means on said sleevebearing arranged topress said bearing-plug axially for clamping said sleeve-bearing andsaid journal bushing together.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT J l ANDERSON. I

Witnesses:

ANDREWJ. HEss, PERCY A. Hnss.

